Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-10-28

portion, it can be changed into suphate,
and this may he easily effected by the free
use Of sulphate of potash (Crude katnit)
in the heap, which also causes y change of
other elements. Plaster is also used, but
it Is more of an absorbent of ammonia,
though Ii finally assists in forming sui
pilates. BY the use Of kainit, adding all
the liquids, turning the heap over often,
40 rs to keep the COarser material TO the
centre, it will not only greatly assist in
preserving the manure, but will render
it better adapted for plant food.
Scab on Potatoes.
From the Germantown Telcgram.1
S. w. Ferel, of Ocouto Wis, claims
that scab on potatoes is not caused by
any fungus, but by the ammonia of strong
manure of any kind. hen manure being
worst, and next to that unrolled COW or
horse manure. We could hardly agree
with this opinion of the use of horse ma
nure. We have always had good success
with the use of horse manure, and p' efer
it to most other kinds. There il little
denial, however, but that the use of fresh
COW manurelS poorly calculated to secure a
satisfactory crop, for the reason, among
other things, that it tends to cause delay
of the tubers so far as hen manure is
concerned, we have used it, but never had
occasion to attribute any special degree of
scabbiness to its use. If there be one
thing that will induce it more than an
other it is planting the second time upon
the same ground. Ashes are highly rec
commended for potatoes, but in all our
practice we have neVer discovered any
evidence of their superiority over other
kinds of fertilizers As good success as
| we have ever had in growing potatoes was
dropping the seed III the furrow, covering
thickly with partially rotten buckwheat
| straw and then covering with earth the
potatoes We're large. smooth and clean as
though they had been washed.
Vermont Crops
! Williams Reynolds Of Manchester Centre in
the Mirror.
The crop reports in the Mirror from
different sections Of New England and
other States in regard to different crops
raised by farmers are both useful and
beneficial to producers and consumers. The
hay crop in this sections was large but
owing to bad weather it is doubtful if its
feeding qualities are worth more than the
average crop of previous years. The corn
crop is fully an average and the oat crop
perhaps a tritie below. BuckWheat is
! light in yield, barely paying expenses. 1t
| mas been poor season for vines bean
| vines on the writer's farm are luXurlant in
growth and now green as III early sum
- crop will pc the poorest since the rot
first appeared in this country IL seems
TO make but little difference how tney were
| treated at time of planting, whether ma
! ure was ploWed in, spread on the surface
and narrowed in phOsphated in the
| hill, or planted without any Application
to the soil. Some varieties Of potatoes
seem to he more exempt from the "ot than
others but I'll seem to come IN for q. share
of disease. The mode OF treatment seems
TO make little difference. Some farmers
harvested their potatoes early, thinking
~ save them, buU have had to take them
from the cellar in Il perishing condition
Ours are still in the ground where they
grew, believing that they are better off
there than in the cellar. We shall COM
mence to dig this week and whatever are
sound will be crisp and keep we'll through
the winter We tried the plan of late har-
Vesting in case of rot netrly fifty years
ago and it worked well. This is an off
year for apples but farmers have enough
for home use and to spare. On the whole,
farmers NAV well be content as those
that have been Industrious to till the soil
have enough and under their own vine
they can enjoy the fruit Of their labor.
Sheep for Breeding Purposes.
The treasury department has decided
that 10 blooded rams of the Shropshire
breed recently imported at Detroit, Mich,
and upon which duty was assessed, are
entitled to free entry under the provision
of the free list for animals specially In
ported for breeding purposes. The col
, lector WAS instructed to refund the duties
e1acted, and was informed that animals
of this character are not excluded from
free entry because they may be intended
{ for sale.